Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and ex-Mayor Gregg Hull to face off for New Mexico governor

Source: Associated Press

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN and SAVANNAH PETERS
Updated 11:17 PM MST, June 2, 2026

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Deb Haaland is planning to lean into her roots as she seeks to become the first female Native American governor of any U.S. state, while her Republican challenger in New Mexico wants to end the Democrats’ nearly decade-long dominance of statewide offices.

Haaland easily clinched the Democratic nomination Tuesday, putting the citizen of Laguna Pueblo on a path to yet another potential first. She was one of the first two Native women elected to Congress and was the first Native American to hold a Cabinet secretary position in the U.S. government.

She celebrated her win at a historic plaza in Albuquerque’s Old Town neighborhood, where supporters gathered among a mariachi band and traditional Native hoop dancers. The event began with a prayer in Tiwa, one of many Native languages spoken among tribes in the state.

Haaland will face Republican Gregg Hull, the former three-term mayor of one of New Mexico’s largest cities, in the November general election. Both recognize the challenges in leading a state that is grappling with high rates of violent crime, chronically underperforming in schools and facing cuts to federal safety net programs.


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-primary-governor-native-american-oil-ba6180bc3b985783b7811d56822b6b11